A former prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), Md Saimum Reza Talukder, who faced allegations of demanding a 10 million BDT bribe to secure bail for a high-profile suspect, has left the country for Italy. Addressing concerns surrounding his departure, Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam stated that no travel restrictions had been imposed on the former official, leaving his office with no legal mandate to prevent him from travelling abroad.

The bribery scandal emerged following a joint investigative report published on 10 March by Prothom Alo and Netra News. The investigation revealed that Saimum Reza had approached the family of ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, a former Member of Parliament arrested in connection with crimes against humanity committed in Chattogram during the July mass uprising, offering to guarantee his bail in exchange for 10 million BDT. Saimum Reza tendered his resignation on 9 March, a day prior to the publication of the joint investigation.

In response to the allegations, the Chief Prosecutor’s office constituted a five-member fact-finding committee headed by Aminul Islam himself on 10 March to investigate the matter. However, eight months on, the committee has yet to submit its final findings.

During a press briefing held on Tuesday at the ICT Chief Prosecutor’s office, journalists questioned whether the probe’s delay had enabled Saimum Reza to depart for Italy on 31 October without facing accountability. Dismissing such assertions, Aminul Islam explained that the fact-finding process was in its final stages and nearing completion. He attributed the extended timeframe to several unavoidable circumstances, including the prolonged illness of one committee member, another member’s bereavement following the death of his mother, and his own official travel abroad.

Addressing queries regarding criminal prosecution, the Chief Prosecutor noted that under the law, both demanding and offering a bribe constitute criminal offences, making any parties involved in negotiating the bribe equally liable. He emphasised that administrative action was taken within a month of his own appointment, resulting in Saimum Reza’s departure from the tribunal. Aminul Islam reiterated that without a formal court order or travel restriction in place, law enforcement and the prosecutor’s office lacked any statutory grounds to intercept the former prosecutor’s international travel.